Lily Lupine
by Astiar
Summary: Lily is bitten the night Sirius tricks Severus into meeting Mooney. How will the Marauders handle the fall out? And more importantly how will Lily take the change?
1. Chapter 1

It was a hunch. The rising of hair on the back of her neck. Lily just knew something was wrong. It was the same way she had known when her sister Petunia had planned to 'accidentally' spill tomato juice on her easter dress when she was 9. Lily thought when she began to learn magic that these incidents of precognition would either fade or she could train them farther. That's why she had taken divinations. The professor was a crack pot so she had dropped the class after only a week in third year. But the books were helpful and she'd been training herself ever since.

Today she could just feel something in the air. This morning she felt like there was a little buzzing in her ear and now as she sat through her last class of the day it was almost like she was drowning in malevolence. Lily was tense ready for someone to strike at any moment.

She was terrified that one of those letters would come for her today. For the past few months more and more students were getting the red letters from the auror department with condolences. All the students knew that those owls carried news of another family member dead and gone. Lily didn't know if she could take it. Her friend Alice received 3 of those letters in a week and ended up becoming all but catatonic in her long term boyfriend Frank's arms.

The dark lord was growing bolder attacking her well know line. He was picking all those that opposed him. His main target remained the muggleborns and as one and the girlfriend of the Potter family made her and her family a target. On the train this year James had matured so much she could hardly believe he was the same boy from the previous May. He had taken her to the baggage car and told her his father was throwing all his families money and political clout against the dark lord. HE then offered to break up so that she would be safer. Lily had been in tears at seeing him say those words. She told him there was already a target on her back and that if the worst happened she'd rather be by his side.

On the darker side of things Bellatrix and her cronies were more vicious than ever. The halls were now unsafe to walk down alone. Most thought all the dark lord's support came from Slytherin but she was sure the most cunning students were the ones in the other three houses. There had been several times when she'd see the looks some of the puffs and ravens had given her and the other muggleborns. She'd lost one friend to this madness already. Augustus and her had hit it off in first year but as they grew he had become darker and more twisted. The scars on his face a point of ridicule he just couldn't take. She knew this year the first time she'd laid eyes on the seventh year that he was beyond saving. She'd bet the entire Potter fortune that over the summer he'd joined the dark and was now marked as a mad mans slave.

She'd seen the same look on her other friends face and it broke her heart. Lily wasn't sure if she could survive losing Severus too. He'd been an anchor all these years. Through Petunia's cruel teasing and bullies at their muggle school. She'd talked to him about James told him how kind the other boy could be. But there was a deep set rivalry that she feared wound one day make her choose. The boy who'd healed her heart or the one that owned it?

Tomorrow was her sweet 16. She was suppose to be planning what to wear when James sneaked her out of the castle for a moonlit walk. Not worrying about attacks, deaths and losing her life long friend. Lily hoped her uneasiness was a result of the blood moon rising tonight. She wondered if Severus would watch it from the Astronomy tower with her? She's asked James a few days ago and he said he and the boys were planning a big prank. Lily smiled. Even better, the boys could plan their prank and she could get Sev out of harms way. She really hopped in the last two and a quarter years they were at Hogwarts she could make the Marauders see Sev's good side.

With that thought fighting the malevolent air Lily headed to dinner. Just after dinner all 5 of her boys seemed to vanish. It was rather curious and her horrible feelings redoubled. She got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that whatever was going to happen wasn't going to be a Death Eater raid or an attack by Bella. No she feared that the Marauders and Severus were going to clash in such a way that there would be no coming back.

As quickly as she could Lily raced to the Gryffindor dorm and dumped her things. She checked for the boys all through the house trying to catch them before they did whatever awful thing they were planning. When she couldn't find them she began to panic. Holding herself outwardly calm as she hunted the castle for ANY sign of any of the five was more stressful than the fast approaching OWL exams.

Just as the moon began to rise she caught sight of Severus' long hair headed out the castle doors. She raced down the hall to catch him. As she exited she saw Sirius opening a trap door beneath an oddly still Whomping Willow. Severus was following the Black Heir much to her dismay. She just knew whatever trap was in under that tree would ruin her life long friendship.

So she called out. "SEVERUS!" She shouted from the doors already running to him.

The boy turned at his name being screamed. Before he could speak though her face drained of color and she let out a shriek of pure terror. Severus looked behind him just as Lily Accioed his cloak yanking him toward her and away from the werewolf's swipe. He was in total shock and lay prone where Lily's spell had dragged him. She stood between her friend and the beast prepared to fight the creature to save him.

Peripherally they saw a massive black dog and buck appear from the tunnel. The two animals tried to get to the werewolf and intercept it but the beast was now focused on Lily who'd hit it was a severing charm. The spell tearing the hair but just barely parting the hide so that a thin line of blood ran from the beast's shoulder. Before the two animals could get to them the werewolf leaped. Covering the distance and clamping it's frothing jaws into the soft tissue of Lily's arm which she had thrown up to protect her face.

Severus was spurred to action when Lily let our a blood curdling scream. His lifted his arm and with every ounce of power he had cast a banishing hex right in the creatures face. While it didn't kill the beast it was thrown several meters and fell unconscious. All he could do was hold Lily as she cried and moaned in pain and fear. Both teens now covered in her blood.

James was on them in an instant shifting back to his human form. "Lily!" He cried dropping to her side.

Severus curled around her and she clung to him. "How could you do this?!" The boy said in fury. "Do you hate me so much as to sit a werewolf on me?!"

Tears came to the quidditch captain's eyes. "No...NO! I swear Severus I swear I didn't know. When I saw you I tried to stop Sirius. I swear." He sobbed touching Lily's face.

The use of his actual name convinced him more than anything. "I'll believe you for now. Get that beast out of here before someone else gets hurt. I'll assume that's Lupin. The one time his interest in healing would come in handy. I'll take Lily to the infirmary." Severus told him coldly as he shakily got to his feet and began carrying the catatonic girl back into the school.

James rounded on Sirius. "Not only did you revel Remus' secret to both Lily and Snape but your moronic actions got my girlfriend bitten!" He shouted his often dormant rage boiling over. He drew back and punched his best friend with all his might knocking the other teen to the ground with a crack of his now broken nose. "PETER!" He shouted causing the rat to change back right away. "Take that bastard to the nurse. And he better be out of my sight by the time I get there or I won't be responsible for my actions.

Sirius was for once either shocked or shamed into silence as Peter quietly led his away. James used his tremendous magical power to levitate Remus' prone form back down the tunnel and all the way to the shack where he locked him up tightly and cast a heavy sleep spell to make sure there was little chance of anymore incidents. Only then did he go to see the girl he was in love with.

Severus was on her left side holding her hand as she slept. She was in a tank top with her right arm heavily bandaged from the elbow to wrist. Madame Pomfrey didn't even say a word as she walked behind the curtain that no doubt held Sirius. He didn't know or at this moment care where Peter had gotten off too. James knelt beside Severus laying his head on Lily's thigh.

Severus placed his free hand on James shaking shoulder. In a soft voice he spoke. "I believe you didn't do this. Lily wouldn't love you if you were capable of murder."

"My best friend just turned her into a monster. How could she still love me?" He asked desperately. He wasn't even sure if he was talking about Remus or Sirius.

"Because she's still Lily." Severus replied, though as much to convince himself as to reassure James. "And if she can love the both of us when we are at each others throat I think she might be able to handle the one thing to bring us together." He said with dark humor.

James gave a weak smile. "I'm the brave Gryffindor. I'm suppose to be reassuring you." he stated back though there was no bite in his words. His face fell. "Lily's going to need us both to get through this. We're all animagi. I could teach you. While shifted you're immune to the bite and it keeps the beast calmer, more like a regular dog or wolf and less mindless killing machine."

"I believe I've gone momentarily deaf Mr. Potter. What was it you just said?" A well known voice said from the door.

"Oh nothing professor. I was just telling Severus that he's going to have to help me take care of Lily as she gets better." James said looking to the Headmaster.

"As I thought my boy. Now what ever has happened?" He asked. Pomfrey came back out with Sirius in tow. Said boy's head was bowed low and he fell to his knees at James' side.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I... I never thought." James could hear as he got choked up. "I didn't think of Remy or anything. Honest I just wanted to scare him no one was suppose to get hurt."

"If I hadn't already broke your nose I'd slap you so hard you wouldn't wake up till you were as old as the headmaster." James replied rage back in his eyes. "It doesn't matter who your target was _suppose_ to be. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT." HE said the words slowly and loudly hoping that would help them sink in. Sirius flinched back even though James wasn't yelling. "And I am not protecting you from Severus OR Lily's wrath."

"Or Lupin's" Severus added.

"Or Remus'. You made your bed now you can lay in it."

Sirius looked away but nodded. There was nothing he could really say when the girl his best friend was planning on marrying had just been bitten thanks to him.

"Explain?" Dumbledore ordered with power behind that one word. The boys began telling the whole story of how Sirius' prank had gone way overboard and how Lily was now a werewolf.

"IF she survives." Dumbledore told them once the tale was through.

"What do you mean if?" James asked eyes wide.

"One in three people bitten by a werewolf reject the bite and die a horrible screaming death. There is no pain potion or spell that can be used to end the persons suffering. They must endure unimaginable agony that can last for upwards of an hour before their magical core gives out. With a witch of Miss. Evans power level she would last well over 30 minutes in agony." Pomfrey told them with a sharp glare at Sirius. "I have her in stasis at the moment so the poison cannot progress. If the Headmaster will allow I will now move her to a secure room and as part of your punishment the 3 of you will watch her for the next two hours to see if she heals or dies." The nurse said harshly. Their behavior over the years and senseless attacks on one another had grated on her last nerve. They were polarizing the school and making the whole situation worse than what it was. Not to mention working her to the bone.

"I believe that would be a suitable beginning to the punishments handed out tonight." Dumbledore agreed. "IF Miss. Evans survives, Mr. Black you will have two weeks suspension... With your mother. Mr. Potter you will serve two detentions for striking another student. Same for you Mr. Snape for being out after curfew. Mr. Petegrew will have a weeks suspension for aiding you and the same for Mr. Lupin if I find he had anything to do with this. Otherwise he and Miss. Evans will receive no punishment as victims of this vicious bullying. Mr. Black. I can not express strongly enough the trouble you will be in if you step out of line again."

No one dared ask what would happen if Lily rejected the bite and died. None of the boys could imagine what they would do without her. All of them waited with bated breath as Lily was moved and the stasis charm lifted.


	2. Chapter 2

Time past glacially slow.

James spent the first 30 minutes with silent tears running from his eyes. He didn't know what he would do without Lily. Ever since she accepted being his girlfriend last spring he'd been so happy he could near fly without a broom. His favorite picture was now of Lily kissing him after Gryffindor won the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff game last month. She had been wearing his spare jersey. Now the girl he loved may be dying and there was nothing he could do but sit and watch.

Severus sat in stony silence. He was so use to keeping all his feelings in, his father had taught him at a young age that tears were a weakness that he wouldn't tolerate. Lily was the only one he ever let see the _real_ Severus. Without her he didn't know if he could ever let his real self out again. She had been his angel when they were growing up. Their first year he'd tried so hard to become a Gryffindor. He begged, pleaded and even threatened the hat to put him with Lily, but it just wouldn't listen. Now the girl he loved may be dying and there was nothing he could do but sit and watch.

Sirius' face was also blank but for a different reason. He was a bit slow but he wasn't stupid. As they were forced to sit and watch over Lily he thought over his plan to see where it went wrong. His face had blanked in horror. He'd become the one thing he swore he'd never be... a true Black. He hadn't seen Remus as a person in his wolf form. He saw the wolf as a tool to be used. And looking at it with a clear head Sirius could see the same viciousness his mother and cousin Bella shared in his actions. He felt bile rise. He was just like them. He'd used his best friend at his weakest to attack another student. He was as bad as the Death Eaters.

Sirius buried his face in his hands and broke the silence. "James, have I become my Mother?" He asked in a broken voice.

James looked at him with shock on his face.

"You're headed that way." Severus said. "Attacking students, using creatures as weapons, ambushes in the dark." He listed.

Sirius let out a keening noise curling in on himself. "No... please no... James." He begged not knowing what he really wanted.

James took a deep breath. "Do you want to change? Really change, for yourself not just to spite your family?"

Sirius made a sound like he'd been punched in the gut. Even what he'd done to get away from his family had been in true Black style. He nodded his whole upper body moving with the force of it. "I... I don't know how." HE admitted slightly choked, even though tears never came. Like Severus he'd learned to hide those kind of reactions.

"When this is over you should write Mum. She's a Black, she should be able to help. But you could start with Severus. Lily's going to need us, all of us." James told him with a look. Sirius had see that look on Mr. Potter and it scared him more than his mother when she had her wand. It was the look that said I mean business and you will do what I say.

He looked at the other boy, really looked at him for the first time. "But he's trying to steal Lily." Sirius said slowly. Thinking about it that's why he'd been so vicious against Snape. He had been trying to defend James, in his mind. Looking at it now it was crazy but at the time it had made perfect sense.

Severus snorted. "If Lily wanted me there would be nothing either of you could do about it." Both boys looked at him. "You really don't know?" He sighed. "Lily has lived four houses down from me for as long as I can remember. Her mother has pictures of us sharing a bath when we were children. Yes I think Lily is beautiful and always wanted to get out of the friend zone but since she accepted your offer she's been happy, happier than I have ever seen her. And I have now accepted that she will never see me as anything other then a brother."

James looked at the other boy. He saw the sadness he was hiding in his eyes. It was the same look his father wore when he received one of those notices about James' cousin being killed in action. He'd been the last Potter other than James and his father. Looking into Severus' coal black eyes he could now see the sadness and heartbreak that the other boy wouldn't let show on the rest of his face. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. Lily will get better, and I've always wanted a brother, even if it has to be through marriage."

"Hey what about me?" Sirius whined.

"You are my cousin and best friend." James replied. "Your status as brother has been revoked until Remus and Lily are done tearing you a new one." He said noise turned up like he was snubbing him, but with a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I have to be related to that?" Severus said with a sneer. Sirius was about to go off on him till he recognized the twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

"That's right you're privileged enough to all me kin." Sirius replied looking like a peacock.

That startled a laugh out of Severus, his eyes dancing. Sirius turned pink thinking of how cute Severus was when he laughed. "Spare me." he said rolling black eyes. He looked in on Lily. "It's been nearly an hour. I think we can assume she's going to make it."

James looked at her and then to his pocket watch, which had once been his grandfather's given to his during his first year. "You're right. I bet Lily's hot even when she gets furry." James told them with a smile.

"I just hope she doesn't have her monthly during the moon." Sirius added. The other two looked equal parts horrified at the thought and at Sirius' crude words. "I'm going down to sit with Remus." he added standing.

"Bring him up here before you tell him anything. Other wise he might try and run." James told him. Sirius nodded. They both recalled how Remus had tried to run and hide from them when they told him they had found his secret out.


	3. Chapter 3

Remus came to slowly at first then snapped awake like he did every full moon. He was tired which was normal, but feeling like his whole body was one big bruise was not. His face hurt the worst it was screaming in pain and he made a keening noise.

"Rem, Remus calm down." Sirius said coming over to his side and touching his shoulder. "Your face looks like shit. Let's get you to the infirmary."

Remus nodded eyes watering from the pain in his jaw, he couldn't open his mouth to talk and there was a simply terrible taste in his mouth. Like he'd eaten a whole bag of pennies, his addled brain couldn't process what that meant.

They arrived at the infirmary in short order. Madame Pomfery coming over to evaluate him. "It's broken Mr. Lupin." She said after scanning his jaw. It didn't take long for her to numb his face and get to work. Once she was done and his jaw reset she treated the rest of him. "Once that heals up a bit I can give you a skelegro for your missing teeth."

Remus whined he'd had that potion before and it sucked.

"I'll leave you boys alone." Pomfrey told him making Remus tilt his head she never left the Marauders alone in her domain. But he watched as she walked into on of the quarantine rooms. By the observation window sat James and... Snape?" He tilted his head questions obviously in his eyes since he still couldn't talk.

James glared at Sirius. "This is your mess." He growled out gesturing to Remus. Seeing his best friend in such a state had rekindled James' anger and Sirius' shame.

Sirius sat on the stool by Remus' bed head bowed and told him the whole gruesome tale, of how he'd just planned to scare Severus, and how Lily was now a werewolf. Remus' eyes were wide as dinner plates through most of it. But when Sirius told about Lily tears started to fall from his eyes.

"For what it's worth I'm sorry I did so much damage Lupin." Severus told him. "But I'm not sorry I cursed you. You looked like you were going to kill her, or at least take her arm off."

Remus looked at him tears running down his face again. He nodded understanding.

James came over and hugged Remus even though the boy flinched. "I don't blame you and neither will Lily. She's going to need us all to get through this." He said into Remus' ear.

Remus looked into his hazel eyes and nodded more tears coming. How could James be so kind to him? Remus had no doubt Lily was going to hate him. He was going to lose one of his best friends because he had made her a monster. Remus pulled his knees up to his chest and wept over what had happened. How he'd entered the change with his friends and exited it without them. When Lily turned on his James would follow her. How could he trust Sirius after this stunt? And where was Peter? He'd have no one when Lily woke he'd be all alone just like before he came to school.

Remus cried harder.

There was silence other than his sobs until Pomfery came out of the quarantine room and gave him the potion. He made a face but endured the foul taste. "She should be waking soon." The matron told them heading back to Lily.


	4. Chapter 4

They all tensed. Remus lay there listening doubting Lily would ever want to see him again. James rushed over.

"Can I go in with her?" James all but begged.

Pomfery looked at him for a moment then nodded with a sigh. James didn't need to be told twice as he all but sprinted into the room. Once he was at her bedside though he paused. Very carefully he sat on the edge of her bed and took her uninjured hand.

There was silence for what felt like eternity, then James saw her eyes move under the lids.

"Lily." He said in a soft voice her name sounding like a prayer.

"Um... James?" She questioned eyes blinking open. "I had a terrible dream."

"Lil' I... I don't" He tried to find the words to say.

Lily looked up at him in confusion. Her eyes then widened as the previous day came rushing into her mind. "SEV!" She shouted setting bolt up right.

"Lily calm down!" James shouted in surprise trying to keep her in bed.

"Where's Sev? IS he alright? What was that thing?" She shot off rabid fire.

"Here, fine, werewolf." Severus said leaning on the door frame.

Lily looked at him then opened her arm. Severus came over and sat by her head laying her back down into his lap. James felt a flare of jealousy but he squashed it down for Lily's sake.

"How did a werewolf get on the grounds?" She asked feeling reassured by Severus' normal behavior.

"It was let in as a poorly planned prank." He replied

"Sirius thought it would be funny to scare Severus." James added not mincing words over the indecent.

Lily nodded taking in the information. She was silent for a long time. "I'm a werewolf now aren't I?" she asked looking down at her bandaged arm.

Both boys nodded.

"What happened to them?"

"The wolf was Remus. I broke his jaw and Potter bound him." Severus replied clinically.

Lily's eyes widened. "Remus? IS he ok?" She asked fearing for her friend and fellow prefect.

"Mr. Lupin is going to be fine Miss. Evans." Madame Pomfery said coming into the room.

"Can I go out and see him?" she asked.

Remus in the other room gasped in shock. He had hoped Lily would wait till he was out of the hospital to exact revenge.

"If you can stand Misters Potter and Snape can help you into the main room." She said holding the door.

Lily sat up again this time with one of James' hands behind her shoulder helping. When she was upright she felt a bit light headed so sat there until it passed. Standing was another trick. It took her three tries to get on her feet and the only reason she stayed there was pure determination and the boys hands on each elbow.

The walk to the main part of the infirmary was a slow shuffle. She made it over half way before crying out,"James!" as her knees give out.

James and his Quidditch reflexes scooped her up into his arms.

She lay her head on his shoulder eyes closing in exhaustion. "I'm so tired and I hurt." She whined. A few tears leaked from her eyes at her weakness. She hated relying on anyone it was one of her worst traits.

Severus ran his fingers through her hair. "Let us care for you Lil'. Please." He all but begged. His tone of voice took the last of the fight out of her and she sagged.

"Put me to bed James." She said part order part request.

James just smiled down at her kissing the top of her head. Severus went ahead of them and pushed the bed next to Remus' right up against his and turned back the covers.

Remus looked at him eyes wide but he still couldn't say anything.

Once James lay Lily down she turned and looked at Remus. Her eyes spilled more tears. "Remus." She said sadly her hand coming up and touching his jaw. "That must hurt."

He just leaned into the touch and cried. Lily used the last of her strength to pull the other boy down and wrap her arms around him. She lay her head on his chest and fell fast asleep.

Remus hesitantly put an arm around her then looked up at James and Snape with questions in his eyes.

"You're her friend. As the muggles say Hell will freeze over before she abandons a friend." The often stoic boy said. "Even if she had lost that arm she would still be your friend. Don't think such a trifle thing as lycanthropy is going to get rid of her." Snape said petting her hair with pride in his eyes.

Remus clung to her soon joining her in sleep.

PPPPPPPPPPPP

Remus being use to the change woke long before Lily. It was still confused by his surroundings and the weight on his chest right over his heart. He blinked his eyes open slowly absently running his fingers through Lily's hair. He looked down at the long red strands and the whole terrible incident came back to him. This time with terrible disjointed flashes of being Mooney. He just stared at her slack face for a long while. Amazed and awed by her love for him. She was a true friend. HE couldn't believe she didn't hate him. He was use to the hate of strangers. Hell his own parents could barely look at him. He was a beast but this kind muggleborn didn't even seem to care what he was... what he'd made her. Or that he had mauled her.

Remus after some more wallowing in self pity looked around the infirmary. He found James, Sirius and Sna... Severus sleeping on the beds across from him and Lily. Looking at the windows he could see it was early morning. He couldn't believe he'd slept through the skelegro, but of that he was thankful.

James being an obnoxiously energetic morning person soon began to wake. Remus froze not sure how James would feel about his girl cuddle him.

James sat and popped his back from the not so comfortable bed he'd slept on. He looked at the stiff and nervous Remus. "Just cause she's a wolf doesn't mean you can all dibs on my girlfriend." James said with that devious smirk of his.

Remus relaxed with a chuckle. "You know she likes me better." He joked back tightening his hold. With an evil glint in his eye he added. "Aaand I got to sleep with her first." His voice was a bit strained from the pulled muscles that were still healing but he was just about back to normal.

James groaned. "Dam you're right. Well I'll be the last person to ever sleep beside her."

"Yes and not till Hell freezes over if you don't shut up." She said turning and throwing a leg over Remus and snuggling in.

Remus and James both gapped at her while Sirius who'd also woken up broke out in laugher.

"What are you cackling about?" Severus said grumpily. He was NOT a morning person. "If you must get technical **I've** slept with Lily for ten years." He said rubbing his eyes.

Before James temper over rode his basic math skills Remus spoke. "You've been friends since she was five?"

James looked between them at that.

"Yes we have." Lily said tossing her hair over her shoulder, and giving up trying to go back to sleep. "I'm sure Mum will insist you see all our embarrassing photos. From the time Severus and I got into the food coloring while Mum was making a cake and dyed ourselves blue to the photos of us having a bath together when we would go and play in the mud hole at the park down the road." She sat up slowly still feeling weak but much better then yesterday. "And who can forget Sev as mine and Pet's dolly. We use to gang up on him and make Sev wear our dresses." She said with a chuckled.

Severus was a bit pink but he chuckled as well. "I recall a few Easter's where your mother put you in pink and you insisted we switch." HE said with a raised eyebrow. Lily turned red.

"I was 7!" She protested.

"Yes and I said no. So she, hating the color pink, said she'd rather wear nothing. And did just that. She took her dress off in the middle of the egg hunt and threw it in the duck pond." He said laughing. "And her pink panties followed it."

"You were starkers! In public!" Sirius said roaring with laughter.

"I. WAS. SEVEN!" She replied face the color of her hair.

James sat on the bed with her and Remus gasping for breath. Every time he nearly got control of himself he'd look at Lily's angry pout and crack up again. Remus was all but giggling.

"Oh. You. Be quiet you..." She said hitting his with her pillow. "And you," Pointing at Sirius "I'll tell Frank it was you that told Alice he was gay."

"What...ah... you wouldn't" He said looking frightened and shocked. "He'd eat me."

Lily just smirked. "Good. You nearly got me eaten." Her face got stern and serious. "Sirius Orion Black if you ever even think of targeting MY Severus again you WON'T live to regret it. Enough is more than enough. He is my little brother and I won't have his terrorized a moment longer."

She glared at him until he lowered his head and gave a soft "yes ma'am."

"Good Now Remus and I are hungry and bed bound. Service James." She ordered. Severus chuckled being the only one to get the reference.

After breakfast Pomfrey shooed the boys off to class. Remus having already gone trough the change had superior healing which Lily wouldn't gain till her first full moon, was discharged to go with them. Lily was happy to go back to sleep. She was very tired.

While the school knew that five students had spent the weekend in the infirmary no one was prepared for the conciseness. Even the teachers were shocked when James was flanked by Sirius and Severus with Remus at Severus' side. McGonagall knew about the second werewolf among her lions but she didn't think the incident you make James be nice to a Slytherin.

By the end of the day some of his house mates had over come their shock and approached Severus. "Hanging with the blood traitors and mudbloods are you?" Bellatrix said snidely

"I think it's rather Slytherin to use connections to get and in with Heir Lord Potter and Heir Apparent Black" Sirius said using his head since being a hot head had caused this mess. "Don't you _cousin"_ He added emphasizing her place.

She gave his a dirty look.

"I wonder if Grandfather still has that _Bones_ contract." He said the name almost in disgust.

"You wouldn't dare." She replied fear creeping into her eyes. "But they're traitors, and breed with animals."

"And every male Bones in the last three generations have produced two or more children." James said. "This generation even has two Daughters of Nyx."

"And you know how mother likes to boast Daughters in out line." Sirius said inspecting his nails.

"The Dark Lord would never allow it." She all but shrieked.

Sirius gave a feral grin this was more fun than shouting matches. "Should I tell Grandfather that?" He asked "You know he'll never follow that beast unless he can prove his claims."

"There is no heir of Slytherin. He's a fraud and a line thief." James told her.

"Watch what you say _Potter_." She hissed. "You'll be next."

"Let his try. He won't target my family. If he's dumb enough to do so he'd just be sending his minions on a suicide raid against the Potter wards. Then if by some miracle he brought them down he'd have to battle my parents."

"Even if he could do all that." Sirius picked up. "All he would accomplish would be driving the true purebloods to the light side. The Potter line is the oldest alive if he's really for blood supremacy he'd never kill the purest one of us."

James nodded. "Father has a tapestry that can date my family back to the time of Merlin. No other line can boast that." His face turned hard. "Keep talking and I'll ask father to foreclose on the Malfoy loans. That'll dry up dear Narcissa's betrothal real quick. What will she think of her sister then?"

Bella took a step back and quickly fled. The dark lord was one thing, Narcissa was truly terrifying, and she didn't live with the dark lord.

Severus smirked. "See hos much more fun you can have using your head for more than a hat rack"

"I've been trying to tell them that since first year." Remus said shaking his head.

They all four sat at the Gryffindor table. Frank looked at them but didn't say anything. And that reaction from the Head Boy set the tone for the rest of the red and gold house.

"Thank you for that." Severus said.

"Don't worry about it." James said with a smile. "If I have my way you're going to be my brother-in-law."

"And I grew up in the snake pit I know what it's like to be the black sheep... so to speak." HE added with a smirk at his own pun.

Peter was across from them but didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say.

After dinner the boys trooped back up to see Lily, only to find her girlfriends were already there. Seeing it with new eyes they were all amazed by just how many friends she had. There were nine girls around her bed from every house. James did a double take she he saw the Slytherin uniform. It took him a moment to place the Greengrass, the only daughter of four, which was odd for that family.

The girls just looked at them dully when they tried to interrupt. James came over and kissed Lily sitting by her on the bed. The guys quickly left as the girls weren't stopping their girls talk just for them. Hearing about the various players _assets_ was not how they wanted to spend an evening.

As they left Severus spoke. "That gaggle is worse than her and Pet."

"Who's pet?" Sirius asked. "What kind is it?"

"Pet. Not a pet. It's short for Petunia, Lily's older muggle sister." Severus corrected.

"Oh." He looked awkward. "They still get on?"

"As well as ever." He said with a shrug. "They fight and fuss but never anything that lasts more than a day. I know Lily really misses her. Last summer they sent the whole afternoon in each others arms reconnecting as sisters. With Pet starting Uni in the fall it will be even harder for her."

"Uni? What's that?" James asked

"University. It's like mastery for muggles." Remus said

Severus nodded. "Uni... University starts mid August, so they with have two less weeks than last year."

"More than that." Sirius added sadly. "She'll be gone every full moon."

They all became sad and quiet. "We'll find a way to make it work." James said. "We have to."

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

An: Sorry to end the chapter on a sad note.


End file.
